When We Were Young
by LeaTheBrunette
Summary: After 12 years of totally different life's and no contact Rachel Berry runs into Finn Hudson when Rachel's friend Becca and Finn's friend Sam set them up on a blind date. How will things go? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! My name is Bre and this is my new Finchel fanfic! It is inspired by Adele's song "When We Were Young" hahaha**

 **I do not own any of the Glee characters of course!**

 **Make sure to leave me your feedback and enjoy :)**

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When We Were Young

Chapter One: Blind

"I look ridiculous!" Rachel whined from the bathroom as she took a look at herself in the mirror from each and every angle.

"Oh shut up and get your hot ass out here!" Her friend, Becca responded before taking a sip of her wine.

Rachel groaned opening the door and walking into the living room where her friend was sitting. "See? Ridiculous!" She said talking about the black tight dress she was wearing that showed off her long tan legs perfectly.

"Rachel Berry! You look smokin!" Becca said setting the wine down before she cheered and clapped. "I did so well!" She smiled. "This is one lucky man I set you up with..."

"About that... who does this man happen to be?" Rachel asked curiously trying to pull her short dress down a bit.

Becca laughed at her friend before standing up to get more wine. "That wouldn't make it a blind date now would it?" She said before popping the cork off the wine bottle. Rachel gave her a concerned look. "What!? He isn't crazy or anything! He's is my coworker, Sam's friend. He is H-O-T. You are going to thank me after this. Trust me." Becca rambled to her friend.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Whatever... Isn't this a bit too much for a bar date?" She questioned looking down at her outfit.

"It's just enough! It's a very fancy bar." Becca smirked.

Rachel's eyes widened. "Fancy!? You know I can't afford that!" She yelled beginning to freak out.

"Oh relax! He of course is going to pay for it! It's a date! Remember? Besides he is the one who picked the bar. I didn't even know about it!" Becca said calming Rachel down. "Plus I heard from Sam that he is a successful photographer... so I think he has money..." She smirked.

Rachel rolled her eyes once again, "I don't know Becca... I think this is a bad idea." The stress was clear in her voice. She began to pace around the living room.

Becca set her wine down once again and walked into the living room and grabbed Rachel's shoulders stopping her from pacing. "Look at me. You are not backing out now. You are hot, single, and living in NYC. This is not a bad idea." She reassured her.

She's right. I do look pretty hot and I have been single for awhile... but now I'm in NYC... the city that never sleeps! I'm almost 30. I deserve this.

After the pep talk from her friend and a glass of wine Rachel was getting into a cab, "Bar 54 on West 45th Street please." She told the taxi cab driver.

When the cab arrived at the Bar 54 Rachel paid the man before hopping out and looking up at the tall building. It already looked really fancy and super expensive. She wasn't even inside yet.

Once going inside and up an elevator she was on the roof where the bar actually was. Wealthy people were everywhere and Rachel felt so out of place and suddenly underdressed. She took a look around for her blind date which was hard to find since she of course had no idea what he looked like. She walked around the nice rooftop decorated with white couches where everyone was sitting, enjoying their drinks when she saw a face, a face she never thought she would see again. Their eyes met.

"Rach?" The man said surprised before standing up towering over the petite girl.

"Finn." She said breathlessly. Rachel cleared her throat and looked down before looking back up at him immediately making eye contact again. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I'm actually here for a blind date." He said a bit embarrassed.

Rachel became even more shocked. "Me too..." She giggled a bit. "Becca?"

"Holy shit Ms Rachel Berry is my date." Finn chuckled. "It really is a small world." He said doing his adorable half smirk

She couldn't help but blush when seeing his half smirk. He was wearing a white button up that was tucked into his black pants. He had a fancy watch on his wrist and ray ban sunglasses hanging on his shirt. This all surprised Rachel considering the last she saw him they were seniors in high school in Lima, Ohio and he was always wearing old vests or his letterman jacket. Finn and Rachel were actually a couple for 3 years. A couple that almost got married before reality got in the way. When their eye contact got a little to intense Rachel broke it looking away before running her hands through her long brunette hair. "I should get going..." She said before starting to walk away.

Finn stepped towards her, "Woah, woah, woah you just got here!" He said with a bit of questioning in his tone.

"Finn... you know this isn't a good idea..." Her chocolate eyes beaming in his hazel ones.

"Rach... what has it been? 12 years? Let's catch up." Finn begged. When she failed to answer he continued, "Come on you look way too beautiful to just go home... one drink?" His half smirk showing once again.

She blushed before containing herself, "Fine. One drink. But only one and please don't call me Rach. Just Rachel." She said with a serious/demanding tone.

Finn chuckled, "God I've missed you."

Finn and Rachel sat down across from each other. The waitress came pretty fast which broke some of the awkward tension between them. "I will have an organic red wine please." Rachel said before looking at Finn who was looking at the menu.

"And I'll have a suburban." He said after her.

"I'll have those right out for you." The waitress said before taking their menus and walking away.

They sat there for a few awkward minutes before Finn began a conversation, "So... how long have you been living here?" He questioned.

"I actually just moved back. As you know I went to school here but after that I toured around the United States with an Off Broadway show. I came back to find work, I'm waiting for my agent to send me auditions. Hoping for something bigger and better but right now I'm just living with Becca who is my old friend from NYADA." Rachel smiled.

"You always did like the bigger things in life." Finn smirked. "But that is really cool Rachel."

Rachel blushed and looked down, seconds later their drinks arrived. "Thank you." Rachel said to the waitress. She took sip before continuing her conversation with Finn. "So how long have you been living here and what brought you to NYC Mr. Hudson?" Rachel asked becoming more comfortable.

"I've actually lived here for 10 years now. After 2 years of working at my dads shop I decided I wanted bigger things much like you. So I moved here and went to the New York Institute of Photography for 4 years. During my time there I got an Internship at ELLE Magazine and now I have an actual job there and have for 6 years now." Finn smiled and took his first swish of suburban.

Rachel smiled listening to him. Happy that he found something bigger. Way bigger. ELLE was a magazine Rachel dreamed to be in one day. "Wow Finn. That is incredible. I'm so happy for you." She beamed. "You always did love your camera."

"You were my first inspiration for beautiful photos..." He said starring at her with his brown eyes that still had some kind of affect on her after all these years.

She got lost in his stare "I-I remember." She stuttered out before thinking back to the memory of the first time he took a picture of her.

 **Thank you for reading my first chapter! Please leave comments! I would love your feedback! The next chapter will be a flashback chapter! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

When We Were Young

Chapter Two: A Picture

*15 years ago*

Rachel stood at her locker looking at herself in the tiny mirror that was in it. It was the first day of her second year of high school and she had to make sure she looked as perfect as she usually did. As she was practicing her star smile she felt a pair of eyes on her. Rachel looked across the hall to see a tall, handsome guy starring directly at her who she had never seen before. She noticed the camera around his neck before looking back at her mirror. "He couldn't possibly be looking at me." She thought to herself. "No one ever looked at me... well except for me." Her thoughts continued as she starred into the mirror. Rachel looked back over to see the guy STILL starring at her. She shut her locker and marched over to him and with the sass Rachel Berry always had said, "Excuse me but, may I ask what you are starring at?" She questioned noting that he was even taller when she stood right by him.

The guy smirked a bit, "You." He answered plainly.

Rachel got annoyed and a bit red in the cheeks, "Well obviously but, why?"

"I like looking at beautiful things." He smiled. "So therefore I'm looking at you."

She blushed making her cheeks even more red. "Maybe you should take a picture it would last longer." And just like that the guy took the lens cap off his camera, focused it, and took a picture of the brunette. Rachel was taken by surprise.

The guy smirked before holding his hand out, "Finn Hudson."

She shook his hand hesitantly before smiling, "Rachel Berry."

Rachel sat by Finn at lunch after learning he was new to to McKinely High School. "So... where did you move here from?" She asked starting a conversation as she put the toppings on her salad.

"Richmond Indiana. One small city to another." He smiled and took a bite of his sandwich.

Rachel nodded, "Nice... so you moved here with your parents?" She asked curiously.

"Just my mom. My dad left us." Finn said openly.

Rachel now felt bad for asking, "I'm so sorry..." She said sincerely. "I-I have two dads." She blurted out trying to break tension.

Finn let out a small chuckle, "It's okay Rachel. I was young when he did. I barley remember him. My mom is very strong and has done well with me." He nodded looking down before looking back in her eyes, "That is very cool that you have two dads." He smiled.

Rachel took a bite of her salad. She nodded as she chewed before swallowing, "Yeah it's pretty awesome... but they are so strict." She laughed a bit. "It's a bit overwhelming sometimes. They just expect so much out of me because I am their only child and their 'little girl' as they would say." She found herself venting to the guy she just met. "I'm sorry... I don't mean to babble." Rachel blushed.

Finn grinned, "No no it okay. I like listening to you..." He admitted.

Rachel felt her face heat up as she wondered why this cute guy was still talking to her and being nice to her considering most people were always annoyed by her.

As they realized it was time to go back to class they got up and threw their trash away. "Well thanks for having lunch with me... you made being the new kid a lot easier." He smiled.

"Anytime." She responded simply with a grin not wanting the moment to end.

"You're really cool Rachel..." He said honestly. "Can I have your number?" Finn asked shyly scratching the back of his neck.

This had to be a dream Rachel thought to herself. "Ye- yeah of course." She smiled taking his phone and typed in Rachel Berry putting a star emoji after it before typing in her number. She have him his phone back. "I'll see you around Finn." Rachel smirked trying to play it cool before walking to her next class.

That night Rachel laid in her bed replaying the whole day over and over in her head. Her heart fluttered. She couldn't believe Finn had this big of an effect on her since she didn't know that much about him. There was just something mysterious and amazing about him that made her want more. He made her feel special and beautiful. Rachel always wanted to be apart of something special.

Rachel's phone dinged and she practically jumped up to grab her phone off her desk. The text was from an unknown number that could only be one person, Finn. She quickly added his name to the number and opened the message.

The message was the picture he took of her earlier with the caption "Take a picture it will last longer."

Rachel smiled stupidly. She looked so sassy in the picture. He made such a simple moment look like a beautiful memory.

Please leave reviews! :) Next chapter will be back to older Rachel and Finn!


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